Celina: Eden

Encounter with a Star

Priscilla Ardella, Noel, and Jessica were all ready to go. Kasha decided to stay behind and keep a close eye on the Queen, Leign wished them good luck, blessing them with his compass. Jessica made sure to pack an extremely large bag, mainly filled with spell books, water in canteens, a change of clothes, and a decent sized sack filled with an assortment of coins: gold, sliver, platinum, and jade. They saddled up Noel's coach, all pilling into it as they rode into the distance. They had to make it out of the City of Selah first. Jessica looked out at the entire town, spotting everyone bustling in the large town. Noel had control of the reigns to the horses pulling the coach. Priscilla sat next to him.
"Scared?" Noel asked, those hazel eyes looking into Priscilla's blue eyes.
Priscilla just shook her head. "No, just anxious."
They looked out amongst the walls surrounding the town. Priscilla looked on, wondering in the back of her mind: how far does that wall stretch? She wondered as the coach passed. Noel gave the reigns a good crack as they rode through the town gates, and put into the open world. It was back through the luscious green forest, the Everglades, which had a sweet, enchanting smell. It was the smell of ripe flowers, fruits, and shrubbery. The wooden wheels to the wagon tore through the grassy pathways. Priscilla would often ask, just to keep conversation: "how far is this place?"
Noel chalked it up to her having a short attention span, which he started to question his earlier comment about her being mature.
"Don't worry. I'm trying to find ways to make conversation. Besides, it's so quiet." Priscilla replied.
Noel looked to Priscilla with a smile.
"It's okay. I understand."
Priscilla felt a strange tingling in her gut. It felt like, energy. Magic.
"You feel that? It's all tingly on the inside."
"I'll check on Jess. She's been quiet for a while."
Priscilla looked inside the back of the wagon from where she was sitting. She had to brush back a small curtain in order to see into the back, which was illuminated by the beaming sunlight. Jessica sat in the back. She was focused on a ball of energy that crackled just a bit above her hands. The ball glowed a bright, pinkish color that reflected lights off her face.
Using that ball of energy, she was able to toss the energy from hand to hand.
"You okay back here, Jess?" Priscilla asked.
"Let's get something straight, Priscilla, just because you have me on your little trip doesn't mean we're friends. I don't like you, you don't like me. I'm only here to save my mother, then I'm going home. And that's if Eden even exists. Which I still doubt, but I'm the idiot who gets strung along for the ride."
"But, I never said I didn't like you."
"Pretend you did. I don't like any of you."
Jessica pushed Priscilla's head out the back of the wagon and moved the curtain back in place. She created another ball of energy, black this time, and began to manipulate it.
Noel looked over at Priscilla.
"Everything okay?"
Priscilla hesitated to say anything at first. She sat back on the cushioned seat of Noel's coach.
"I swear, if it wasn't for us helping her mother, I'd punch her to readjust her attitude." Priscilla gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.
"Just try to work with her. She's a Princess who never gets out. Never has any friends, 'cause all the kids in the city pick on her. She doesn't know how to warm up to us yet. And to top it all off, her father passed away at am early age, and her mother has fallen ill. How would you feel in her situation?"
"I know, but still. That doesn't give her the right to treat people the way she does. She's rude." Priscilla complained.
"I'll pray that the goddess exposes the kindness in Jessica's heart."
"Let's hope. Noel, you gotta understand, I'm trying everything in my willpower to work with that spoiled brat."
Noel laughed. He gripped the reigns tighter.
"I completely understand. I think Jess needs friends. People to care for her. She's not having the best time of her life."
Priscilla looked on, trying to ignore her anger completely. She tried to keep her ear to the sounds of the forest. The calming melody of chirping birds. Flowers blossomed in the spring breeze. They waved in response to the wind. Trees leaves rustled back in conversation.
Hours upon hours passed and Priscilla and Noel entered deep conversation. Noel would make Priscilla laugh. Jessica would just sit in the back of the wagon, not interacting with anyone--unless it was with her magic of course.
The evening's orange sky alerted the young travelers of the eventual nighttime's presence. Priscilla looked at the bushes. For some strange reason, she felt eyes staring out through them. Rustling seemed to come from the shrubs. After a while, nothing else of the sort followed, so she ignored it, and looked forward. Noel realized they'd been traveling for miles upon miles. The forest seemed to connect to a large clearing before heading near another forest.
"More trees? Another forest? Are we lost?" Priscilla's eyes grew big. Worry filled her voice. The coach came to a slow halt.
Noel fished in his robe pocket for the compass Leign had given them. He looked at the arrow for a good moment.
"He said this thing was 'magical' right? Hmm. Seems to be pointing in the right direction. I mean, it has to, right?"
Priscilla clung to Noel's shoulder.
"We should go back. Maybe it's broken."
Noel reassured her. "Leign said it would work. It's supposed to be magic."
He tapped in the compass a few times. Suddenly, his eyes grew wide.
"Oh no, maybe we are lost! Leign led us out here with a broken comp-whatever! We're gonna starve to death!"
"Oh stop whining like babies. What's going on?" Jessica stuck her head out from the back of the coach.
"I think this--this compass thing might be broken!" Noel exclaimed.
He tapped on the compass as the arrow would slightly move between North and East. More towards East. Jessica spotted the compass and snatched it from Noel.
"Give me that," Jessica replied.
Priscilla and Noel watched as Jessica began to work her magic on the compass.
"Hey...!" Noel started.
"What are you doing?" Priscilla yelled.
Jessica ignored them both. Instead, she waved her hand over the compass. The arrow didn't moved in a specific direction. Not as much as it quivered anyway.
Priscilla didn't say anything for a while. Her eyes became glued to the compass. The arrow began to spin and point in a particular direction.
"You don't recall Leign mentioning it was a magic compass do you?" Jessica sighed.
And, with that, a giant, magical illusion stemmed from the compass. Their eyes opened in awe. Millions, probably billions of little blue dots lit up in the sky. They formulated a familiar shape.
"Wow, what's that?" Priscilla's eyes lit up.
"It's Earth. The planet. Our planet." Jessica stared at the image.
"That's something I've never seen before." Noel's gaze held a look of amazement.
Still holding the compass with one hand, Jessica used the other to point out, "that green dot, that must either be us, or its where we need to go. We'll know for sure once we start moving."
Priscilla gasped. Her eyes widened once she heard a noise from behind them. It was a low, rustling noise. Other sounds followed. They were eerie, growling noises. It sounded like a dog, a coyote? Maybe a wolf? Her wide eyes moved the Noel. He put a finger to his lips.
"I hear it too." He whispered.
Jessica stopped working her magic on the compass. The illusion of the Earth disappeared. The flailing arrow went idle. They eventually saw it. It was definitely a wolf, but it's features...differed from that of a normal wolf. It was pretty oversized. And on the many ventures Priscilla had been on, she'd never witnessed a wolf of such a size. It was almost the size of Noel's horses. A giant shadow followed right behind the wolf. It was another. Their eyes. Nightfall would soon befall the young travelers...and that eventual nightfall made their eyes begin to glow a bloodshot red. Priscilla, Noel, and Jessica all sat on the coach, frozen with fear.
"Wolves...uh...wolves don't get this big...do they?" Jessica asked.
Priscilla nor Noel could answer her question. Their eyes were fixated on the ravenous beasts before them. Their dark fur looked rough and almost razor sharp.
Priscilla swallowed the lump in her throat to find her voice.
"I--I don't believe they normally do. These--aren't like any wolves I've ever seen." Priscilla's eyes never left the sight of the wolves.
They growled as the rows of razor sharp teeth were bared
"These aren't like any wolves you've ever seen? Aren't you a traveler, Pris? You should know more than both of us. I found you crossing Levi desert." Noel panicked.
"I never told you I was a traveler. You found me in a dessert. That's all you need to know."
"So, you bring us out here, Pris, and now we're about to be eaten alive by some ravenous beasts!"
The wolves had taken a step closer. They were near the coach now.
"I didn't bring you out her, Noel. You both came here on your own accord. I thought we were doing this for the Queen?"
"We are, so you two need to stop the bickering. They're ready to pounce!" Jessica exclaimed.
Half of her body hung out from the back of the coach. Noel did what anyone would do in his situation: he smacked the reigns against the hide of the horses.
"Yaah! Yaah!" He yelled.
The take off was slow, but the steeds finally began galloping. The horses screeched, trying to gallop on Noel's command. The wolves ran along side them. Even when the horses picked up speed, both wolves were able to keep up. First, their dagger-inspired teeth opened. Next, snapping sounds could be heard. Priscilla looked down at the sides if the wagon with eyes the size of saucers.
"Hey, Noel! Try going faster! They're gaining! They're gaining!"
"Hey, I'm going as fast as I can!"
Jessica tried to concentrate. She balled her fist. Priscilla felt that weird feeling again. Jessica hung further out of the wagon, in between Priscilla and Noel, and pointed her finger at one of the wolves snapping his razor sharps at the horses ankles. She threw him backwards with an incredible, invisible force. There was still the growling beast on the other side to deal with.
"Ahhh! There's still one left!" Noel yelled.
Jessica went to give the other snarling beast a taste of her magic. The oversized wolf was closing in on the horse's ankle.
"Jess! Hurry!" Noel yelled.
She focused her energy. The wolf attempted to take a bite of the steed's leg, but it missed by inches. It made a second attempt, barely grazing the horses leg. The horse cried out as they raced through a thicket. The wagon bumped over rocks and dips in the roads before them.
"Jess, hurrrrrrry!" Noel yelled again.
Priscilla screamed in a shock. The road ahead was covered in darkness. The fact that it was dark outside made it even harder to tell what was ahead. Jessica finally used her magic, using the invisible force once again. This time she used it to toss the wolf a few feet in front of the coach. It yelped loudly, and the yelping faded, as if the wolf fell forever into an abyss. That gave Noel enough time to pull the horses reigns to a screeching halt. Both four-legged horses cried out while able to come to a safe stop. The force of the sudden stop resulted in them being forced forward just a bit, then they all fell backwards on the wagon.
Everyone let out heavy breathes in repetition. Jessica brushed back her long, blonde hair, keeping the lengthy strands from her eyes. They stayed completely silent.
"Well, I'd say that was fun." Noel was the first to break the silence. His breathes came in and out heavily.
Priscilla tried looking behind them. Pure darkness surrounded their coach. Suddenly, this feeling of gloom befell her. She could describe what was going on, but she knew it. Noel was able to reach into the back. Crickets chattered amongst each other, Owls began making low, hooting noises. A snap sounded as Noel and Priscilla nearly jumped out of their skin. They caught the origin of the noise...Jessica. She was able to ignite a flame in the palm of her hand, using her hand as a torch.
"Thanks Jess." Priscilla replied.
Jessica sighed as her response.
"Whatever, we need to get out of here before something like those wolves show up."
"That's weird, though." Priscilla replied.
"What's weird, Priscilla? What are you talking about?" Jessica asked.
"Hey, you've never done that before."
"What's that?"
Priscilla folded her arms.
"You called me by name. You've never done that before." She looked at Jessica for a moment.
Jessica's mouth twisted up. She found her mask of cynicism.
"Hey, don't flatter yourself. Besides, we have to make sure we are taking the right direction. It's so--dark out here. It--it feels strange."
"Is it just me," Noel started, "or does it feel--kinda depressing out here?"
"It does feel--sad. Maybe we're just tired?" Priscilla asked.
"Could be. But, we can't take shelter out here. What if there are more of those wolves out? Or something much more grave?"
Priscilla didn't like to admit Jessica was right, but she was.
"I'm not sleeping in the dark nor on some grassy area."
"Well, if it comes down to it, we may not have much of a choice, Jess." Noel told her.
Priscilla was quiet for a while. She didn't say much of anything. Instead, her gazed just wandered off into the sky. She noticed it. A star that seemed so large, yet so distant hovered in the sky. That wasn't the biggest of her worries. It was--the moon? Maybe? She stared up in the sky, wondering where it came from, or if she was the only one that noticed it. She'd never noticed if it was in the sky before. This--star was like the moon--only eerie and twisted looking.
It chilled her to the bone to see it hovering there. It just seemed so close. How long has it been there?
"I--I think, I'm getting tired too. My body feels worn down. There aren't any nearby towns. Maybe we should have someone keep watch. Switch every two or three hours, maybe?" Jessica suggested, letting out a heavy yawn.
Priscilla realized that for once, Jessica didn't sound like that distant princess. The one that didn't want to be bothered by anybody. She wanted to point that out, but was more bothered by the star hovering in the sky.
"Hey guys, you see that? There in the sky?"
Jessica and Noel turned their attention to the looming moon--or whatever it was. For a moment, none of them spoke. The flames danced in Jessica's hand, reflecting off of their faces. Priscilla could see they looked up in the sky, following her direction, and noticed the same star in the sky.
"What? Where did it come from?" Jessica added to Priscilla's question.
"It's hard to tell." Noel's gaze fixated on the blood, red orb in the night sky.

Jessica and Priscilla looked around at their surroundings. Nothing seemed to be around in the immediate area.
"We'll camp out here. Girls, rest up in the back of the coach. I'll keep watch tonight." Noel replied.
"You sure?" Priscilla asked.
"Whatever, let him do whatever he wants," Jessica replied, letting out a yawn and a stretch, "I'm not going to bed. We know he'll get tired, he'll go to sleep. Then, we'll be caught off guard."
"No, I will protect you girls. For the Queen's sake of course." Noel said valiantly.
Jessica just rolled her eyes.
"I'm taking your word for it--not because I believe you. Because I'm tired. Nothing more."
She climbed in the back of the coach. Priscilla started to follow. Before she made it back, she turned to look at Noel.
"Hey, be careful out here. And, I wanna thank you for saving my life." Priscilla smiled.
"Hey, don't mention it." Model replied.
Jessica leaned out of the coach. This time, she handed him an iron and glass lantern with a fire lit inside the glass casing.
"Here, take it by the handle so you don't light us on fire."
Noel narrowed his eyes at Jessica.
"I wasn't planning on it."
Priscilla and Jessica tucked into the wagon. Of course, Noel could hear Jessica and Priscilla fight and argue on the inside.
"Owww, you're kicking me!"
"Rrrrgh! Don't lay so close to where I can kick you."
"I was laying here first!"
The noise eventually died down after a while. Noel could finally let out a deep breath.
"I'd thought they'd never go to sleep."
Sitting with his back against the head of the coach, he looked up at the sky. That blood red star menacingly hovering over the Earth. It didn't take long before rocks weighed in on his eyelids. He had to catch himself. His eyes adjusted to the pitch, void-like darkness, he couldn't see anything threatening.
Before he knew it, his eyes completely closed this time. They forced him and he couldn't stop them.